1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to lighting arrangements, and more particularly to a lighting arrangement that employs selectably dismountable lighting fixtures that may be interconnected in a daisy-chain fashion, and yet be independently controllable and with the interconnecting wiring being managed to maintain a neat appearance.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional lighting fixtures of the type that are used, for example, in furniture are configured and dimensioned for the particular application. Thus, small lighting fixtures are used to illuminate small spaces, and longer lighting fixtures are used for longer areas that need to be illuminated. It is a disadvantage of these known arrangements that once a lighting fixture is installed, it generally can not be displaced or otherwise reconfigured to accommodate the wishes of the user. There is a need, therefore, for a lighting system that permits the user to control the amplitude and arrangement of the illumination for his or her particular needs. Reconfiguration of the distribution of the light over a predetermined area to be illuminate can not generally be achieved with a single fixture.
It is often desired to discontinue illumination in a portion of the field to be illuminated. This generally can not be achieved by a single fixture that would illuminate the entire field. Known lighting arrangements that would use several, distributed fixtures typically provide for a single control for all such fixtures. Thus, all such lighting fixtures in the known arrangement are turned on and off simultaneously, or dimmed simultaneously. Efforts to effect control over each such lighting fixture independently of the others results in the need to install a separate power wire for each such fixture. In an installation where multiple lighting fixtures are employed, management of the power wires becomes a problem. There is a need, therefore, for a lighting system that permits each of a plurality of individual lighting fixtures to be controlled independently of the others while permitting management of the power wiring to maintain a neat appearance.
It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a lighting arrangement wherein individual lighting fixtures therein can readily be displaced to effect a desired distribution of lighting.
It is another object of this invention to provide a lighting arrangement that permits individual ones of the lighting fixtures therein to be controlled independently of one another by a user.
It is also an object of this invention to provide a lighting arrangement for premanufactured furniture wherein one or more lighting fixtures can readily be installed after shipment and delivery of the furniture at a remote location, without requiring the lighting fixtures to be shipped therewith.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a lighting fixture that provides a safe support for a high-output lamp, whereby the lamp is precluded from coming into contact with portions of the fixture that cannot withstand the operating temperatures achieved by the high-output lamp.
It is additionally an object of this invention to provide an electrical interconnection arrangement for a plurality of lighting fixtures wherein a daisy-chained electrical interconnection scheme can be implemented.
It is yet a further object of this invention to provide a mounting arrangement for a lighting fixture wherein a predetermined minimum space between the lighting fixture and a mounting surface is maintained.
It is also another object of this invention to provide a lighting arrangement for premanufactured furniture wherein one or more lighting fixtures can securely be held in place during shipment of the furniture.
It is yet an additional object of this invention to provide a mounting arrangement for a lighting system that permits multiple modes for mounting a lighting fixture onto a surface, including mounting onto steel furniture.